


Happiness For The Insane

by naomi24



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Mad Scientists
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-23
Updated: 2015-09-23
Packaged: 2018-04-23 02:43:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4859999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/naomi24/pseuds/naomi24
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mad Scientist Jongdae is known for three things: his obsession of using minions as test subjects, his love for pineapples, and his unrequited desire towards Mostly Sane Scientist Yixing, but like any normal person, all he really wants is a happy ending to his own story. He’s dead set on getting it, even if it means disguising a love enhancer as a memory enhancer.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Happiness For The Insane

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for Chenpionship
> 
> A big thank you to my betas T and C for holding my hand, and listening to all the doubts.

 

 ****  
The number of bubbles popping increases as he stares blankly at the soup he is stirring. His thoughts overwhelm him as he conjures up a possible solution. The idea in his mind is intriguing in itself; however, he questions the consequences that may occur if it doesn’t work out perfectly.  
  
_But of course it will-- I am Kim Jongdae._  
  
These are the incessant thoughts that he maintains in case he ever loses hope. It also helps that he has three subservient minions, who are merely extra pairs of hands despite their accomplished titles.  
  
He walks away from the stove and approaches the whiteboard, messy writing appearing in front of him. Some are hastily written and are constant distractions to him, forcing him to look back and wonder if he missed vital information. His concentration on it causes him to miss the warning signs blaring at his eardrums as liquid splashes onto the hot surface of the stove. It is followed by a familiar click of someone turning off the appliance and pouring the hot liquid into readily clean bowls on the dining room table.  
  
Instead, he combs his hair thoroughly with his right hand, fingers tangling in between strands, and he tugs hard whenever he feels an itch of frustration. He holds back an insufferable whine and shuts his eyes for a moment, focusing on deep breathing as his minions would always suggest, except it never works. What does work is the soft trailing touch of Yixing’s fingers down his exposed arm. It is the simple solution to his anxiety, and he yearns for those touches frequently on forlorn nights. The owner finally reaches for Jongdae’s hand and holds on to it firmly, slowly tugging him so they can face each other.  
  
“Jongdae.” The timbre voice, which has been permanently etched into his brain and stored under the ‘Unrequited Desires’ folder, always catches him at a standstill. For a moment, he allows himself to imagine his name uttered in complete passion and the image of him writhing in pleasure underneath the owner of the voice. He turns sideways to face him and smiles radiantly under his scrutinizing gaze.  
  
Yixing sighs in exasperation as he shakes his head and pulls Jongdae away from the treacherous whiteboard.  
  
“You forgot to turn the stove off -  _again_.” Yixing clicks his tongue in disapproval and leads them to the table.  
  
“What – that’s impossible!” Jongdae frowns.  
  
“It’s very probable; after all, you were distracted by that nonsense again,” he replies, as he nudges Jongdae to sit down on the chair, and he does so while pouting like a petulant child.  
  
“It’s not nonsense – it’s the future. And you’ll regret these words once my creation is ready,” Jongdae huffs and stares up at Yixing with a concentrated gaze, challenging him to a verbal disagreement. However, unlike Jongdae’s impulse to win at every dispute, Yixing only cares about certain aspects, all of which does not include entertaining Jongdae’s already inflated ego. So Yixing rolls his eyes as usual and gestures to their linked hands instead.  
  
“May I have it back?” He asks. They both stare at Yixing’s left hand connected to Jongdae’s right hand.  
  
“No, not until you apologize.” Jongdae smirks in victory as he looks up, even though he wants nothing more than to continue this childish fight and hold on to this perfectly calloused hand.  
  
Yixing ignores his request and drags a chair next to Jongdae. Somehow, he manages to place his hot bowl in front of himself. He grabs a spoonful of the hot liquid and begins to blow on it, ignoring Jongdae’s indignant looks.  
  
Resisting the urge to behave like a toddler, he swallows the incessant need to cause pointless arguments and tries to eat his soup with his left hand, preventing victory from falling into Yixing’s lap easily.  


 

***

  
The month passes by slowly as Jongdae searches for the solution. It only comes after three days when he mindlessly decides to reconstruct the toaster. It's merely a distraction in his opinion, letting his right brain focus on the irrelevant task of reconstruction while his left brain silently solves the problem-- the best way of multitasking. He ends up disregarding the toaster and instead spends copious hours building his invention, much to the dismay of Yixing. He’s been roommates, best friends and platonic partners, dejectedly, with the elder for the past three years. Needless to say, his feelings towards him has always been unrequited. Nevertheless, Jongdae gladly replaces the toaster with a new one once he finds out he  _may_  have misplaced a vital part of it.  
  
When his creation is finally completed and tucked away safely in his room, they invite Jongdae’s loyal minions and a few ungifted yet useful friends for a movie marathon, a monthly tradition. Jongdae, lacking the social graces that his best friends seem to have, decides that reconstructing the television is a much more useful way to waste time while waiting for everyone to arrive.  
  
"Jongdae, you are neither an engineer  _nor_  a repair man – why must you ruin a perfectly working television?" Suho, his subservient loyal minion, asks.  
  
"The same reason why we have guinea pigs as pets and friends as test subjects," Xiumin, his adequately smart minion, replies. Jongdae remains silent as he now uses his left brain to rebuild the scattered television.  
  
"Is there dip for this?" An inseparable best friend, Baekhyun, asks them, causing everyone to look at him momentarily before they return to their argument. A silent Yixing passes him a jar of salsa dip, and Baekhyun grins at him in happiness. Yixing walks back to the kitchen, unnoticed by the rest of his friends.  
  
"But he never explained why – we just assume he does it for the peace of mind." Suho rolls his eyes and almost jumps when he hears a loud crackle from his side. His eyes widen when he sees Jongdae grinning maniacally as he holds on to an electric solder. Suho slowly steps away from the crazed scientist.  
  
"Jongdae, let's  _not_  use that – “ Xiumin steps forward cautiously and reaches out to grab the tool out of the scientist’s palm. Jongdae growls at his action, causing his smart minion to take a step back. Xiumin nudges Suho for reinforcement, but the latter is avoiding becoming the responsible adult in the room.  
  
"This is  _so_  good – where did you buy this dip?" Baekhyun asks, particles of food flying across the room, causing the people around him to wince in disgust.  
  
"It's from that store across the street – you know – Chippy, “ Jongdae answers him with a smile, the solder still clutched in his hand. A neon warning sign should be placed above his head for future reference. Most of them are used to the repeating  _Keep a Five Foot Radius_  warning in their heads whenever Jongdae has that evil twinkle in his eyes. Well, everyone but Baekhyun, the sole engineer in the room, who strongly believes that hazardous warnings and objects are mere entertainment.  
  
Kyungsoo, a potential archenemy turned passive aggressive minion, rolls his eyes at his friends’ stalling methods on preventing Jongdae’s reckless actions. He stands up and looks for the one person that turns the  _insanity_  into  _sanity_  in Jongdae’s world.  
  
“Jongdae, you  _know_  I adore you – “ Baekhyun reaches for another chip in the bag as he continues. “– but you should not solder that cable – “ Jongdae reluctantly lifts the solder away from the cable to attack the small metal near it instead. “– or that resistor.”  
  
Jongdae ignores him and watches in amusement as the resistor melts easily before him. Baekhyun shrugs at his idiocy and walks away with the chips and dip.  
  
“The rice cakes are ready!” Yixing yells as he walks out with Kyungsoo behind him and places the food on the dining room table. Everyone crowds around it, except Jongdae, who seems to be attacking the other innocent parts of the television.  
  
“Jongdae.” Yixing stands in front of him as he smiles sweetly at the younger.  
  
“Will you try my creation now?” Jongdae replies, knowing Yixing’s hidden motivation to make Jongdae stop experimenting with the television, but he refuses to give in.  
  
“Sehun will be here in 30 minutes, and it is entirely up to you whether we have the Star Wars marathon in our living room – or in Sehun’s.” With that word, he walks back to the kitchen, and Kyungsoo watches Jongdae’s expression turn sour.  
  
“Ouhh, I vote Sehun’s place – he has this awesome sound system with an amazing bass-reflex support,” Baekhyun instinctively tells them despite knowing Jongdae’s feelings regarding a certain baboon male. Jongdae huffs in reply and scowls at the mangled parts of the television. He knows Yixing won’t participate until he fixes the television, but he’d rather whack the rest of the pieces with a hammer out of fury.  
  
Despite the fact that Jongdae will never admit his minion’s capabilities publicly, each understands their roles in keeping Jongdae as grounded as possible, which includes the random tantrums because really, Jongdae is more of a hormonal teenager stuck with a high IQ than a responsible scientist. So whenever jealousy comes into play, Xiumin is the one who is tasked with this inconvenience. As cliché as it sounds, everyone seems to know Yixing’s deep affections towards the younger, despite Jongdae’s vehement claims of it being otherwise.  
  
“Baekhyun.” Xiumin calls to him in a sharp tone, causing the younger to pay attention immediately. Baekhyun sighs inwardly and walks towards his bag before bringing it to Jongdae.  
  
“You’re lucky I like you more than food.” Baekhyun nudges him away from the television.  
  
“I can fix it myself.” Jongdae shoves him away out of frustration and an inner guilt is clawing in his chest since he’s rarely rude to his closest friends.  
  
“Sure – then you can slowly watch Sehun place himself in Yixing’s heart while you vent your anger onto innocent resistors. Now will you let me fix this or not?” Baekhyun crosses his arms and waits for the younger to realize his overconfidence. Jongdae reluctantly lets him as he glares at the older.  
  
“ _Finally_  – now watch and learn from the master at work.” Baekhyun cracks his fingers and neck before throwing the mangled electrical parts to the side and decides to recreate it manually. Luckily, his bag contains a variety of spare parts that conveniently can be used for the television. Xiumin sits near him and watches in amusement as his lover concentrates on his task so seriously.  
  
“Only you would find this man arousing, Xiumin,” Jongdae tells him with a smirk.  
  
“You have your dimple kink while I have my nerd kink,” Xiumin simply replies before he ruffles Baekhyun’s hair, causing him to look at him with a toothy smile.  
  
“Gross,” Kyungsoo mutters as he wrinkles his nose and turns away from the affectionate couple.  
  
“Done! Igor – fetch me my payment,” Baekhyun commands as he gestures wildly to Jongdae, who simply throws a rice cake at his face. Baekhyun successfully catches it with his mouth like a hyper puppy and tries to eat it without letting it fall. Xiumin shakes his head and helps him finish the rice cake.  
  
“Can you be any less cultured?” Kyungsoo glares at him in disgust. Yixing shows up again with two bowls of popcorn in his hands.  
  
“Yes,” Baekhyun simply says as food flies out of his mouth.  
  
“Baekhyun, clean up. Xiumin, prepare the movie. Suho, make a fort, and Kyungsoo, the bat is in that cupboard.” Yixing immediately hands out the tasks to them as he places the popcorn on the living room table. Each instantly does their task, and a happy Kyungsoo looks on as he holds onto the baseball bat.  
  
“Alright, Jongdae – where’s this ‘awesome’ creation of yours?” Yixing gives him a small smile, and Jongdae leaps up to grab his hand. He pulls Yixing away from the rest of the group and drags him to his room, closing the door tightly before someone can interrupt them with meaningless questions.  
  
“It is awesome – you’ll see. But first, I’m going to need you to sign the usual liability forms.” Jongdae places the thick stack of paper in Yixing’s hands and watches as Yixing signs multiple areas of the document.  
  
“I thought you always faked my signature,” Yixing teases, as Jongdae is known for his troublemaker ways. He hands over the document and waits for Jongdae to show him the creation.  
  
“First, I would like to thank you for being my human rat – “  
  
“Like you would ask anyone else.” Yixing rolls his eyes.  
  
Even though Jongdae always sees Yixing as the smartest between them, Yixing somehow always ends up the human tester. Jongdae reasons to himself that Yixing is too pliable, easily manipulated by other people’s whims, which is why he sometimes acts as Yixing’s lunatic bodyguard, and in return, Yixing becomes his personal tester. Unbeknownst to him, Yixing does have ulterior motives for his kindness and all of them involve amplifying Jongdae’s happiness. At the same time, Jongdae’s skill of observing people lack profusely, so he does not even notice that even his group of minions and friends are basically Yixing’s puppets, always eager to please the older.  
  
He places Yixing in a chair and passes a tray of gummy bears to him. Yixing raises his eyebrow as he waits for instructions.  
  
“Take one or two – it’s up to you.”  
  
“I sincerely hope this is candy and not the ‘awesome’ creation you’ve been bragging about.”  
  
“The best kind of inventions are the simplest ones – ones that people  _should_  have thought of, but never did. That is why this creation is amazing,” Jongdae explains in a smug tone.  
  
“Candy  _is_  amazing,” Yixing replies in amusement.  
  
“I created these gummy bears to enhance our memories, the happy ones that are too embedded in our minds. You see, I recently found out that there’s a protein that’ll determine how many memories we can access within reach, and I had to figure out a way to make this protein stronger, so these happy memories won’t fade so easily. So I found out its capabilities and created a natural booster that will enhance it. These gummy bears contain that booster along with natural ingredients, you know, since the body reacts better with natural elements.”  
  
Yixing pops a gummy bear into his mouth as he thinks over Jongdae’s words. There are unspoken words between them, and a challenge to see if Jongdae is as good as he thinks he is.  


 

***

  
When they return, Yixing loudly appreciates their friends’ hard work, while Jongdae automatically goes to his spot, where the television is perfectly centered in front of him and the audio is not too loud. Kyungsoo takes the spot to his left, and Baekhyun makes a move to sit on his right. The rest sit dejectedly either on the floor or on the armchairs.  
  
When Sehun arrives and Yixing gestures for the youngest to sit on his lap, Jongdae immediately leaps out of his seat, causing a bowl of popcorn to spill onto the floor. Used to Jongdae’s eccentric behavior and following the ‘Five-Second Rule,’ Baekhyun places the popcorn back into the bowl, ignoring Kyungsoo’s judging gaze. Jongdae manages to violently shove his seated minions to make his way to Yixing, unceremoniously dropping himself into his lap. The elder groans at the sudden heavy weight.  
  
“What happened to your perfect spot?” Yixing grumbles, even though his arms wrap around Jongdae’s waist.  
  
“I’m cold - Baekhyun’s too skinny,” he says, as if the reason is perfectly logical.  
  
Luckily, everyone is unfazed by Jongdae’s actions, and they return to watching the movie. Jongdae is perfectly content in his spot as warmth seeps in from his back, and he has no regrets when he falls asleep in Yixing’s arms.

 

  
***

_**Week 1:**  
Step 1 is complete as Subject eats the gummy bear daily_

_**Week 2:**  
Possible pizza order to be the the first affectionate sign towards Target_

  
Jongdae is never one to admit his faults or flaws. To him, the error is always due to his minions or the stupid technology that does not understand his logic,  _even if_  he entered the wrong input. In the rare case that he apologizes, he will always start immediately with  _I'm sorry that your stupidity is causing blindness_ , despite his minions' efforts to fix his manners.  
  
So when Baekhyun calls him out for his flawed 'Get Yixing to Love Me' plan during their bi-weekly 'live or die' experiments, he immediately retaliates by calling him  _just an engineer_. Even though he regrets it right after, and Baekhyun tunes out his insults, he still feels guilty. It doesn’t help that the guilt multiplies when he also realizes how flawed his plan is. The plan was put into effect years ago, when Jongdae had recently met Yixing and was already head over heels in love with the dimpled man. The idea was to get close to him, become his best friend, make him fall in love with him, and move in together. Technically, everything  _did_  go according to plan, except Step 3, which was somehow skipped along the way. Three years have passed and feelings have not developed on Yixing's side from what Jongdae can see, so Baekhyun's criticisms  _did_  have valid points if Jongdae had to begrudgingly agree.  
  
So Jongdae needs a new plan, hence the 'memory enhancer,' which is actually a 'love enhancer,' if he was being truly honest. He knew Yixing wouldn't willingly participate in a feelings experiment, knowing his distaste for manipulation, so he  _had_  to lie. Though it's not a complete lie because the gummy bears  _do_  enhance the happy memories that Yixing has, but it specifically enhances memories that include Jongdae. And he's  _absolutely_  sure that this is the kind of manipulation that Yixing would be livid about, but those small details won't matter once Yixing falls for him and forgives his treachery, or so he hopes.  
  
By the second week of the trial, He starts to notice the change when they gather in his and Yixing’s apartment, the official hangout for their small group of friends. They order takeout from everyone's favorite pizza joint, the one that looks extremely rundown and is possibly rat-infested, but they make the best pizza nonetheless. Some choose to ignore the possibility that the meat may be rodent, but people like Kyungsoo are aware of  _everything_  so he's the only one enjoying a footlong sub for the night.  
  
Jongdae usually accepts his loss when it comes to choosing pizza toppings since no one seems to love pineapples as much as he does. Even Baekhyun, who usually agrees with him, would pretend to fake vomit at the thought of tasting pineapple. So he’s always heartbroken at the fact he’ll never enjoy a good Hawaiian pizza with his so-called friends and bitterly accepts his fate after throwing the occasional tantrum.  
  
But tonight is different. He can hear Baekhyun’s  _Who the hell ordered this?_  comment as he walks towards the boxes of pizza. The surprised look on Jongdae’s face is a rare sight for his minions, who are always used to his frowning, angry or smitten looks. He’s on Cloud 9 throughout the night as he enjoys slices of Hawaiian pizza. At the same time, he doesn’t forget to taunt his best friend by blowing the smell of pineapple breath directly into his face. After all, who said he had to be mature in his  _own_  home. The best part comes later on in the evening when Yixing remembers how much Jongdae dislikes gory films, and he allows the younger to use him as his personal pillow.

 

  
***

_**Week 3:**  
Subject starts to show affection towards Target  
Random check ups during the day_

_**Week 4:**  
Coffee drop offs are now part of Subject’s routine_

_**Week 5:**  
Subject keeps staring at Target’s lips, but Subject’s lips are better  
*picture of Yixing’s lips*_

  
The change doesn’t stop there as the next few weeks are filled with subtle signs: the way Yixing brings his favorite type of coffee along with the right type of sugar and milk every other day, the constant check up at work as if he’s just passing by the hallway, but mostly, the dazed look in his eyes whenever they talk, a sign that he’s simply staring at Jongdae’s beauty rather than listening to his words. He supposes he may have been hoping for too much, but he’ll take any positive gesture from Yixing as a sign of his love.  


 

_**Week 6:**  
~~He’s so dreamy when he’s concentrating~~  
Subject is busy with deadlines but remembers Target’s coffee time  
*drawing of hearts*_

_**Week 7:**  
Target really hates his work and wishes he can poison someone today  
Subject makes everything better with his dimpled smile  
~~I want to poke it~~_

  
It isn’t until the end of the month that he finally gets one of his wishes. He’s been stuck at work since 5PM, where he has to finish the funding proposal for their newest creation. He thought it’d take less time if his minions weren’t around so he made everyone go home, but he soon regretted it when he saw all the mistakes made by the incompetent secretary. It’s one of those days that he wishes he  _did_  create the untraceable poison that he theorized a few weeks ago. He sighs loudly as he erases another idiotic paragraph and starts replacing it with an intelligent one. He doesn’t notice the opening of the door or even the thudding sounds of cups being placed onto the table. He finally notices something when he feels warm air on his neck, and he  _almost_  falls down in shock but doesn't because he’s too awesome to fall flat on his face.  
  
“Fuck - don’t do that!” He shouts, trying to sound angry, except it comes out sounding whiny, as per usual.  
  
“You’re so easy,” Yixing teases with a wide smile, and Jongdae tries not to swoon as he stares at the hollow dimple.  
  
“What are you doing here? It’s - “ Jongdae squints at the screen. “--9:12PM. It’s late.”  
  
“Yes, and my roommate isn’t home yet. So as a responsible best friend slash roommate, it’s my job to make sure you’re not half dead.” Jongdae scoffs and returns back to stare at the screen, silently wishing a painful gruesome death to the secretary.  
  
“I’m fine. Go away,” he mutters and ignores the cup of coffee hovering near his face, being held in Yixing’s perfect hands.  
  
“Drink it. You need to hydrate. Did you eat?”  
  
“Yes,” he completely lies.  
  
“Good.” Yixing immediately wheels Jongdae away from the screen and pushes him towards a corner, ignoring his indignant squawk. “I’ll do the editing. You eat,” he says in a strict tone that implies no room for arguments as he shoves Jongdae’s favorite sub sandwich into his hands. After learning Yixing’s limits and patience, Jongdae knows better than to argue at the moment, at least not until he can prove to Yixing that he did eat substantially.  
  
Still, he tries to see if Yixing is doing an adequate job, and Yixing keeps retaliating by kicking his chair away. Sometimes he wonders how the elder built strong thigh muscles and what it would feel like to trace trace his fingers along them. He shakes his head to clear the perverse thoughts, saving them for when he’s alone in his room.  
  
Editing the proposal doesn’t take long with Yixing’s help, him cleaning up the grave errors and the inaccurate scientific terminology, his cup of herbal green tea by his side. He’s too grateful by 11PM, and he doesn’t dare complain when Yixing decides to add extra formatting just because it’ll look nicer, even though Jongdae never understands the point of styling their reports.  
  
“See how nice it looks when you actually indent and not just randomly add fifteen spaces?” Yixing teases, and Jongdae rolls his eyes at the comment as he mutters  _Whatever_.  
  
“What would you do without me, Jongdae? Without my guidance and kindness?”  
  
“Hmm.. possibly extract Baekhyun’s wittiness, Xiumin’s kindness, and Kyungsoo’s aggressiveness into one vial and create a clone.”  
  
Yixing laughs, in a timbre and soul-reaching tone that always seems to make Jongdae feel helpless.  
  
“And what about my touch? Who could replicate it?” Yixing asks in amusement, but somehow, his eyes glaze in intensity, as if the question is meant to be serious.  
  
Jongdae licks his lips in nervousness and wonders what the response should be. His left brain tells him  _A replacement is easy to find_ while his right tells him  _No one; I think you should touch me everywhere._  
  
Yixing seems eager for a response as he wheels himself closer in front of Jongdae, their knees brushing against each other. His left hand rests on Jongdae’s knee as he waits for Jongdae to reject or accept him. Seeing no objection from the younger, he trails his fingers slowly across Jongdae’s thigh.  
  
“I never thought a simple question would make the great Kim Jongdae speechless,” he whispers, resting his hand against the warmth of his thigh. Jongdae can only lick his lips again as he looks down to that perfect hand and wonders what it would feel like if there wasn't thick clothing between it and his skin.  
  
He doesn’t realize Yixing’s right hand is on his cheek until he feels the gentle coaxing to lift his head up, and his eyes meet Yixing’s. He freezes in anticipation, unsure if he should pull away or lean closer, and he realizes that, for the first time, he doesn’t know what he’s doing. He’s stuck in a gray area, where he has heard stories of what people would do, but he can’t decide on what’s the best option.  
  
Luckily, Yixing makes the decision for him when his lips graze across his, and he can taste the herbal green tea from before. He doesn’t expect to crave for the same taste when Yixing kisses him again and again, until he shivers in delight and his cheeks flush with emotion. He instinctively licks his lips when they pull apart, and Yixing shyly smiles at him before reaching for his hand and tangling their fingers together.  


 

  
_**Week 8:**  
His lips are so soft, and the texture is like cotton candy.  
Irresistable and Target can spend days licking it  
*doodles of their names inside hearts*_

***

_**Month 3:**  
Subject pulls Target into a hug before work  
And Subject thinks they should always drive and go home together.  
Then he holds his hand during the ride and pretends it’s nothing special.  
He’s slowly killing Target, and Target doesn’t mind._

  
  
Jongdae may have been dreaming these past few weeks. He’s absolutely sure his craziness has gotten worse since he keeps experiencing the most euphoric feeling whenever Yixing is hovering close to him or when their hands clasp each other or even when they kiss shyly in private. It seems too unreal in his mind so he keeps thinking it’s a neverending bizarre dream, but then he realizes how  _real_  it is by the time he pinches his arm.  


 

_**Month 4:**  
Subject is slowly accepting Target’s insane ways.  
He joins the twisted games and doesn’t lecture Target on ethics.  
It’s official-- he’s completely smitten.  
They’re going to live happily ever after, like the ending of every Disney movie._

  
  
“Were we this disgusting when we first started?” Baekhyun asks his lover as they try not to stare at Yixing’s loving gaze towards Jongdae. They're currently hanging out at the new couple’s apartment after a long week of work.  
  
“Yes,” a collective agreement is heard, including Xiumin himself, and Baekhyun pouts in defeat.  
  
“It’s cute, and he’s so happy. It’s the first time I’ve seen him smile that doesn’t involve experimenting on someone,” Suho notes.  
  
He speaks too soon as he feels a sharp pain in his arm, and he immediately sees a needle pressing into his skin, dark blue liquid rapidly flowing into his vein. Before he can even complain about the lack of consent, Kyungsoo smacks his head in annoyance.  
  
"You just had to remind him," Kyungsoo grumbles as Jongdae heads for him next. "I'm never coming back when my contract ends." Jongdae laughs at his words and coos at his naivety.  
  
"Am I supposed to feel numbness in my right arm?" Suho panics and sits in the nearest chair, despite the fact Xiumin is using it.  
  
"Yes, you're getting a paralyzer. I need to see if it'll last twelve hours or if it will kill you," Jongdae absently tells him as he approaches Xiumin with a different shot. Suho widens his eyes, the only muscle that can still move and internally panics when he can't even speak anymore. Jongdae carefully moves him to an empty chair so he doesn't fall to the floor.  
  
"My lawyer is suing you regardless of how I die," Kyungsoo threatens before he loudly yawns.  
  
"Don't worry, my passive aggressive friend. You're just going to sleep for twelve hours instead. Well it's either sleep...or a coma. We'll see." Kyungsoo glares at him and would approach him if he didn't feel too sleepy to move. He approaches the empty couch and allows his eyes to close.  
  
"What did you give me?" Xiumin wonders.  
  
"An anti arousal injection. It'll give Baekhyun a real challenge other than seeing how many times he can cum in a day." Jongdae smirks, and Baekhyun sticks his tongue out.  
  
"This invention will be as worthless as your junk car by the time I'm done!" Baekhyun yells out before he slams the front door and drags a confused Xiumin with him.  
  
Yixing walks up to him with two markers, and Jongdae raises his eyebrow in confusion.  
  
"Might as well have some fun since we can't be alone tonight." Yixing twirls his marker with his talented fingers.  
  
Jongdae widens his eyes in surprise at the idea of Yixing abandoning his responsible image. He wonders if this is a side effect from the experiment, but his brain is instead telling him that he really does want to draw a fake beard on Kyungsoo's childish face.  
  
"Loser is the other’s slave for a week," he taunts. Yixing gladly agrees but only if Jongdae gets Kyungsoo. They both know Jongdae can easily rile up the wide-eyed man while Yixing has been deemed as everyone's favorite elder.  
  
By the time Suho and Kyungsoo wake up, Yixing is the winner, and Jongdae wants more of this happy feeling whenever he thinks about Yixing joining his twisted games.  


 

_**Month 5:**  
Subject is also influencing Target to be better as a person.  
So Target tries it out, but no one ever appreciates it.  
Why can’t they accept his change?!  
*taped pictures of dead test subjects to show his anger*  
Though he hopes Subject will remain smitten with him when Subject stops taking the gummy bears._

  
  
"You can leave early," Jongdae informs Xiumin as he places a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"I can? Is this a trick?" Xiumin stares at him with wide eyes, and his heart starts racing at the thought of forming the right answer.  
  
"It wasn't even a question," he looks back confused before he grabs Xiumin's shoulders using both hands and leads him to the exit.  
  
"Wait! But I'm not done with my task!" Xiumin panics as he stares at the approaching exit, struggling to get away from Jongdae’s grip.  
  
"Give me another chance. I swear I won't slack off after lunch. Don't fire me!" The last few words are practically muted as Jongdae manages to get him out in under a minute.  
  
"Go! You'll be late for your date!" Jongdae yells back without looking back at him. The other two minions stare at him incredulously. Jongdae looks back at them with a 'What?' expression. It takes them a second to go back to their tasks, avoiding Jongdae's eyes, just in case they receive the same treatment as their ex-fellow minion.  
  
"Jongdae, I'm sorry. Please let me back in." Xiumin keeps tapping on the door gently, and his voice almost break in sadness. But his efforts remain pointless as Jongdae turns on the DNA machine, cutting off any sounds from outside. Xiumin remains in that spot, forgoing his date plans, and presses his face against the glass window with a pouting face. His comical face almost causes Suho to drop his test tubes when the latter looks back at the door. Suho would shoot an angry glare at Xiumin if he didn’t pity him.  


 

***

  
Guilt is a virus born from empathy, and it can infect every corner of a person's body if the person doesn't seek treatment or, in Jongdae's case, drink some strong alcohol. It starts when Baekhyun rants about his upcoming second anniversary with Xiumin. Everyone knows that Jongdae's helpfulness is as great as the smell of sweaty socks, but when it comes to Baekhyun, Jongdae is as willing as a horny rabbit -- he will grant any of the elder's wishes. Keeping this fact in mind, Baekhyun uses it as a weapon and makes Jongdae drive him around the town  _just_  so Baekhyun can pick up last minute items for the surprise romantic dinner for his boyfriend. After three hours of mindless errands, idiotic arguments, and tasty frozen yogurt, they return to Jongdae's place to rest because Yixing always stocks up on cold water bottles like how Baekhyun stocks up on dirty dishes.  
  
"After today, I'm ignoring you for a week," Jongdae threatens, as he unlocks the door while Baekhyun mockingly laughs.  
  
"I'll believe that when you don't come over whenever Yixing is too busy to suck you. In the meantime, you're welcome!" Baekhyun immediately shoves Jongdae into the apartment and closes the door before the younger can complain.  
  
Darkness surrounds him, and he blinks a few times before he sees a sudden source of light from a candle at the dining room table. He watches a familiar hand light more candles at a slow pace, starting with the the candles at the table and another five located around it.  
  
"It's not weird, right? That I want to do this?" Yixing asks him as he stands in a corner. Part of the darkness covers his angelic face, but the glow from the candle outlines his soft features.  
  
"I know we don't normally celebrate unless either of us won something, but we've been friends for years. So I thought we could celebrate the first time we met. You remember it. right? There was a blackout, and we were stuck in that crappy lab for the night." His chuckles sound a little distorted as he bites his lower lip.  
  
Jongdae can only stare at him nervously as he internally fights with his traitorous beating heart.  
  
"You don't remember?" He sighs dejectedly, and Jongdae immediately denies that assumption.  
  
"Of course I do. It was the first time I was right, and you were horribly wrong."  
  
Yixing laughs in that cute yet sexy way that makes his dimple reappear every second. He steps out from his corner, and his eyes twinkle in the happiness that Jongdae always notices.  
  
"I should have known you'd associate it with that."  
  
Jongdae smiles shyly as he approaches the table and stares at the cooked meal.  
  
"Let's eat?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
They eat in comfortable silence with the occasional conversation. Jongdae feels completely blissed out that he doesn't even notice the elder's twitchy movements, a sign that he's withholding something. It's time for dessert when Yixing finally lets it out, and it catches Jongdae in an impasse.  
  
"I know you don't care for labels. And I'm okay if I'm the only one labelling  _this_. I - " He combs his hair back in frustration before he continues. "I hate how we're so close, that you're always  _there_ , but I never know what  _this_  means. I think I've always liked you for a while, and I never thought my mind would be filled with you and nothing else. You're always first to me, and I only ask to be second to you. So  _please_  don’t say yes just for me.” He bites his lips again in hesitation before he utters the next words.  
  
“Jongdae, am I yours?"  
  
Jongdae wonders if this is another side effect of his invention, the abnormal rate of emotions that are forming in Yixing’s heart. He feels it’s too fast for Yixing to already want him  _this_  much, but maybe it is normal, after all this is the first time he tested this invention.  
  
Nevertheless, a guilt is born. Usually guilt arrives slow, and you don't notice it until the feeling lingers for more than five minutes. For Jongdae, it's a wave of emotions, from glee to guilt and finally it plummets down to self-loathing. Yixing’s confession should have made him jump out of his chair, cheering for the happy ending that he always wanted, but his brain can only ask  _Is any of this real?_  
  
He has the urge to confess to every single manipulation he has done, and his brain is cheering for his smart decision. It’s his heart that decides to push all the logic away, stomping them angrily into the ground.  
  
"Yeah, of course."  
  
_What the hell, heart?  
  
But he's finally ours_ , his heart hisses.  
  
Jongdae can only shove the internal conflict to the back of his mind and let Yixing pull him into a heated kiss.  


 

_**Month 6:**  
*photoshop picture of Jongdae and Yixing pasted together*  
♪ No one told me I was going to find you  
Unexpected, what you did to my heart  
When I lost hope, you were there to remind me  
This is the start ♪_

  


 

***

  
Their first official date is approaching and unlike regular people, Jongdae always imagined his date to be  _unique_. So when Yixing suggests that they should each plan the date they always wanted, Jongdae enthusiastically agrees and begins planning it in detail, neglecting the amount of work piling up on his desk.  
  
It’s another week before they can do it, and Jongdae is already grinning maniacally by the time it arrives. His idea might be unconventional if you’re not a mad scientist who has been watching one too many daredevil shows. He found the perfect place online a few days ago when he researched the reviews and the surroundings. His heart beats in anticipation as he thinks over the recurring fantasy in his mind.  
  
“So, are we hiking up a mountain?” Yixing guesses again as they sit in Yixing’s comfortable sedan, heading north for the past hour. Jongdae refuses to say where they’re heading, and he’s been driving since they’ve left the apartment.  
  
“Hmm, not really,” Jongdae teases.  
  
“Do I need to be worried over my safety at least?” Yixing asks curiously, really wondering if his life is on the line.  
  
“Nope, you’ll love it,” he replies in a matter of fact tone.  
  
The questions end for the time being as they change the topic to work, Yixing’s obsession with music, and, somehow, pineapples. By the time they reach the place, Yixing is gaping and speechless at their current location.  
  
“Wow. I knew we would go to a bizarre place, but  _this_  wasn’t even on the list of places I thought of.”  
  
Jongdae laughs at him before tugging his hand towards the small building labeled Bunge With Me, a popular bungee jumping spot for enthusiasts and insane individuals. The location is in a large secluded area surrounded by amazing views, but the owners seem to only use certain spots for their customers to jump from. Jongdae keeps Yixing close to him as anxiety starts to settle within him as he realizes how high they are.  
  
“Okay?” Yixing teases.  
  
“Yeah - it just looks so high.” He chuckles nervously, and Yixing pulls him closer into his arms as they wait for their turn. Jongdae finds the warmth comforting, and he doesn’t realize how much he loves being in his embrace until they break apart when their turn approaches.  
  
“So why bungee jumping?” Yixing asks as they wait for the safety people to tighten their gears.  
  
“Because not many people would jump with me to a certain doom. I always found it romantic if he’s willing to sacrifice part of his sanity to jump with me.”  
  
“The crazy things we do for love, huh?”  
  
“Exactly.” They both smile at each other before one of the safety people gesture them to move closer to each other.  
  
It takes another fifteen minutes before they are ready, and Jongdae’s cheek is resting against Yixing’s upper chest. They’re in a tight embrace, and Jongdae would want nothing less. He searches for Yixing’s hand and grabs it before an instructor tell them the rules. The idea is quite simple: they’d be jumping from the cliff and would wait until the momentum ends. Then someone will drive over in a boat and release the pair into the water. They’ll finally be driven back to the safety of the building so they can dry off.  
  
By the time they finish receiving their instructions, they decide to wrap their arms against each other’s body, and Jongdae’s cheek is still pressed against Yixing’s chest.  
  
The feeling is exhilarating for both of them. Jongdae can’t help his outcry in the middle of the jump while Yixing's _Whooo_  goes unnoticed. He doesn’t notice that one of Yixing’s arm lets go of him and does a fist pump in the air or that he’s holding on to the elder a little too tightly.  
  
“Are you okay?” Yixing asks with worry. He notices the subtle trembling from Jongdae’s body after they are let down from the rope and are now sitting in the small boat that was waiting for them. He pulls the younger into his arms while rubbing his sides.  
  
“Yeah, sorry,” he mumbles against Yixing’s chest, unsure of why he’s trembling when he’s the one who wanted this.  
  
“Don’t be. The first time is always nerve wrecking.”  
  
“You’ve been bungee jumping before?” Jongdae stares at him in shock.  
  
“Of course. Sehun invited me, remember?” Jongdae only remembers how much he hates that baboon. He hopes his scowl goes unnoticed, but Yixing does in fact see it, laughing at his expression.  
  
“But this is definitely better.” He pulls the younger into a quick kiss, and Jongdae searches for more.  
  
“Good,” he mumbles against Yixing’s lips before kissing him again fiercely.  


 

***

  
Yixing’s ideal date happens after another week due to the elder’s impending deadline in his lab. Jongdae is still excited to see what the elder has thought of, and he doesn’t even mind if it’s a picnic in the park, as long as it’s just the two of them.  
  
Yixing takes him out on a Friday night to a location about thirty minutes away, and Jongdae stares out the window to get some hints on their location.  
  
“Well, it’s definitely inside some building. Dinner, maybe?” Jongdae asks as he can only see building after building in his view.  
  
“Maybe.”  
  
“Oh, are we going to that History of Music exhibition that you’ve always wanted to see?”  
  
“Not tonight,” he says as he pulls up to the side of the pathway. Jongdae stares at the nearby building curiously and doesn’t notice Yixing opening the door for him.  
  
“Coming?”  
  
“Yeah, sorry.” Jongdae climbs out and grabs Yixing’s hand as the elder leads him inside the building.  
  
He stares in amazement at the set up inside. It has the embodiment of mystery and intrigue as he looks at the decorations. The building contains four escape rooms, and each room gives the customers around forty minutes to figure out the hints that will lead to their freedom. He can already feel the excitement in his body as he begins to conjure up the possibility of never leaving this building.  
  
“Well, we can’t stay here forever - ” Jongdae immediately scowls, and Yixing chuckles at his expression.  
  
“But we can come back for another room next time.”  
  
“Just the two of us though.”  
  
“Of course.”  
  
Yixing apparently reserved a room called Mad Scientist’s Laboratory, and Jongdae is already grinning at his wicked thoughts. They wait for a few minutes before a staff member leads them to the room, bolting the door when they enter.  
  
“They didn’t make it as accurate as our lab.” Jongdae frowns a little.  
  
“Come on, we only have 38 minutes left,” Yixing taunts him, and Jongdae starts to search for the first clue.  
  
The hints aren’t challenging for them -- they can easily escape in under twenty minutes -- but Jongdae still loves the concept. He especially loves the fact that Yixing is willing to lift him up so he can reach a clue taped to the wall, without mocking their height difference.  
  
They exit the building within an hour, and Yixing leads them to a nearby coffee shop. They pass by to order some warm beverages and sandwich wraps before Yixing leads him to a spacious park.  
  
“Don’t judge me for this, but there’s something I’ve always wanted to do,” Yixing admits to him when they sit down in the grass with their half finished food.  
  
“What?”  
  
“I’ve always wanted to dance in a field, just like this one, while holding someone special.”  
  
“But I’m not good at dancing.” Jongdae squirms at the thought of embarrassing himself in public.  
  
“That’s okay. I never cared about that,” he says it gently so he can slowly change the younger’s mind. “But it’s okay if you don’t want to.”  
  
“Do we even have music?”  
  
“I was going to sing in your ear.” Jongdae can see the small blush in the elder’s ears, and in that moment he thinks about all the things Yixing has ever done for him. He’s pretty sure dancing in public is also losing part of your sanity, much like bungee jumping.  
  
“Okay, but I choose the song.” Jongdae stands up and offers his hand to Yixing. The elder grins at him before pulling him close to his body. He whispers the song title to the elder’s ear and can feel the small nod of recognition.

 

_♪ One... you're like a dream come true...  
Two... just wanna be with you...  
Three... boy, it's plain to see that you're the only one for me...  
And four... repeat steps one through three...  
Five... make you fall in love with me...  
If ever I believe my work is done  
Then I'll start back at one ♪_

_**Month 7:**  
Subject and Target’s first dates were successful.  
They will soon fall in love and have sharp jaw, dimpled babies  
*taped images of what their babies would look like using baby generator*_

 

***

  
The sun weaves its way between the curtains, aiming straight for Jongdae’s face. He squints a few times before trying to move away, but the blanket is tangled between his legs, restricting his movements to a few inches. He finally manages to flop his chest onto the bed, covering part of his face with the pillow. He slowly opens his eyes and stares at Yixing’s gentle face.  
  
His smile grows as he traces every line and edge that defines Yixing’s beauty with his pointer finger. He giggles softly as he remembers the soft kisses they shared the previous night.  
  
Everything seems so right between them as awkwardness never transpired as they switched from friends to boyfriends. Even the word  _boyfriend_  makes Jongdae extremely giddy, and he wishes this would last forever. It’s not like Yixing has to know that he’s been somewhat drugged by gummy bears.  
  
His thoughts come to an end when Yixing opens his eyes, and Jongdae can’t help but lean in for a simple kiss. The elder pulls him closer, and Jongdae sighs in satisfaction.  


 

_**Month 8:** _

  
_Subject let Target poke his dimple.  
It was amazing.  
It was like anal sex with your finger while his laugh is the orgasm that follows.  
Target may need to masturbate tonight.  
Target hopes Subject will never read this journal._

***

  
Baekhyun laughs maniacally at the entries, one hand clutching his stomach while the other smacks the desk hard. He accidentally finds the purple journal labeled Lay in Jongdae’s messy desk. He knows what Lay means-- it was a nickname created by Jongdae when he first met Yixing, who was holding a bag of Lay’s potato chips at the time. Jongdae nicknamed him Lay because Yixing is that special unique chip only found amongst hundreds of other chips.  
  
Baekhyun doesn’t expect the journal to be detailed moments of Jongdae’s experiment with Yixing. At first, he was a little worried of the fact that Jongdae created an experiment based on the manipulation of Yixing’s memories. But then he finds out how hilarious Jongdae’s obsession with the elder has been, especially since the entries made it sound like Jongdae was a hopeless fangirl.  
  
“Why are you - give that back!” An embarrassed Jongdae finally catches him snooping and tries to take the journal.  
  
“Not yet. This is fucking hilarious. Are you going to publish this in the scientific journal? Because it would be a hit.”  
  
“Fuck you.”  
  
“Ouhh, let’s see how jealous Subject gets when he finds out we slept together.” Baekhyun pretends to think over it, and Jongdae uses the opportunity to steal the journal back.  
  
“Why can’t you respect my privacy?”  
  
“Why can’t you stop using Xiumin as your test subject?”  
  
They stare at each other challengingly before Baekhyun gives up first and laughs at Jongdae’s stern face.  
  
“But why would you manipulate Yixing’s feelings? I’m sure he’s already in love with you.”  
  
“He’s not. He’s always seen me as his insane roommate.”  
  
“Yes, but his fuckable, insane roommate.”  
  
Jongdae rolls his eyes and refuses to continue this pointless conversation.  
  
“You know, it’s approaching one year soon. Do you even know the long term damage this could cause?”  
  
Jongdae stops walking when he hears that question, and the guilt comes back again, stronger than before.  
  
“I’m sure it’s the usual side effects. Loss of weight, depression - ” He tries to convince his best friend, but Baekhyun stops him again by holding onto his arm.  
  
“Jongdae, this is not one of your minions, who would understand the capabilities of this experiment and would stop it if a negative sign appears. This is Yixing, who you’ve been in love with since forever. Are you really risking his health and his mentality just so he’d love you back?”  
  
Baekhyun’s words hit him hard, and the dread starts to fill the back of his mind. He should have known that nothing good lasts forever. He wants so badly to be selfish, but he loves Yixing more than he loves himself or even his award winning inventions. Why would he injure the one person he cares for so much?  
  
“Please stop this before it gets worse,” Baekhyun whispers to him, and for once, Jongdae automatically agrees without argument.

 

  
_**Month 9:**  
Target’s guilt increases by the day.  
He should have known that there were risks, and Subject may receive the worst side effects.  
He doesn’t know how to stop the experiment without hesitation.  
He doesn’t want Subject to stop loving him, but he thinks the pain of losing Subject forever is much worse._

***

  
Jongdae leans over the table as he scribbles down the recent analysis he saw. He doesn't hear the light footsteps of his boyfriend until he's roughly pulled away from his desk. Yixing grabs his wrist in a flash and pushes him against the nearby wall. His eyes glaze over in anger as he grips the wrist tighter, ignoring his lover's pained expression.  
  
"Yixing."  
  
"Did I say you can talk?"  
  
Jongdae closes his mouth and bites his lip nervously, wondering what riled up his lover.  
Yixing manages to combine both of Jongdae's arms together, only using one strong hand to hold both wrists while the other trails down over the buttons of the lab coat. The younger shivers in delight as knuckles brush against his chest. Yixing's hand reaches the front of Jongdae's pants, slowly rubbing against the semi-hard cock.  
  
"Did you think I wouldn't find out Jongdae? How was he? Was he better?" Yixing taunts him as his hand slowly unzips his pants. When his hand finally reaches his cock, the slow pace Yixing sets makes him breathless.  
  
"Did you imagine him taking you gently?" His hand keeps the slow pace with gentle flicks to the tip. "Or maybe rougher?" A harsh tug to his cock and a rub against his slit cause Jongdae to inhale sharply.  
  
Jongdae can only shake his head as he tries to form a complete sentence.  
  
"What shall I do to you Jongdae?" he whispers in his ear as the rubbing becomes slower before it eventually stops. He searches for the button of the younger's pants and unbuttons it. He struggles a little to slip off both pants and boxers, while avoiding to brush his hand against the younger's cock. He surmises that Jongdae will have to earn pleasure without physical touches.  
  
"I should take you raw for misbehaving, but a harsher punishment would be not letting you climax," the elder points out, and Jongdae immediately shakes his head.  
  
"Use me. Make me yours," Jongdae pleads.  
  
"Should I? You don't seem to appreciate me," Yixing reminds him angrily and grips his wrists tighter. "Maybe I should have taken Sehun up on his offer," he absently reminds him.  
  
"No! Please!" Jongdae spreads his legs and tries to wrap his left leg around Yixing's waist. Yixing obliges and cups his left butt cheek before pressing against his rim with his pointer finger. The stretch is uncomfortable without any lube to make it pleasant, but Jongdae is willing to prove his worth.  
  
"Be good, and I won't need to take out the toys." Jongdae immediately nods and hopes he can keep his orgasm at bay. He takes a shaky breath when he feels a second finger and the stretching that follows. He buries his face into the juncture of Yixing's shoulder and lightly shivers as his cock brushes against the material of his own lab coat.  
  
Yixing seems to be taking his time as he slowly rubs inside, searching for his prostate. He knows he's found it when Jongdae's thighs tremble a little, and Yixing pulls out his fingers, earning a small whine from the younger.  
  
He balances the younger on his right hip as he takes out his own cock from the confinement of his pants. He groans as he slowly rubs it with the spit he has previously put in his hand.  
  
The kiss that follows is rough and demanding as Yixing dominates the younger's mouth. There is harsh nibbling against Jongdae's bottom lip and tongue licking over the wound before he covers the younger mouth so even a single moan can't escape too easily. Jongdae lets his body be pliant as he feels the tip pressing against his rim.  
  
Yixing lets go of his wrists and hauls Jongdae a little higher as he slowly presses in gently and lets his cock slowly stretch the tight muscles. Groans and whimpers echo in the room, but Yixing only concentrates on filling Jongdae with his full length.  
  
Jongdae breathes heavily as every inch feels more uncomfortable than before. The elder stays still as he closes his eyes and lets the younger get used to the stretch. After a minute, he starts moving slowly and his mouth trails down to Jongdae's neck, creating a rather large possessive mark.  
  
Jongdae tries to muffle his sounds, not wanting someone to catch them at work, but Yixing refuses to slow down, only to speed up when the younger starts thrusting back against him. The friction should feel irritating and uncomfortable, but Jongdae can only feel the slow euphoric burn inside him. He stifles a rather large moan when Yixing finds his prostate and clings on to the elder's shoulder when the latter decides to abuse the spot.  
  
His mind can't concentrate on keeping his orgasm at bay when everything is overwhelming his senses. His thighs tremble as the signs of release approach. He feels a tightening grip on his hip, and he knows Yixing is warning him of their deal.  
  
"Yixing," he rasps out as he claws the elder's back, trying to resist the temptation of coming too early.  
  
"Just a few more," Yixing warns him before he picks up the pace, and Jongdae struggles to keep himself in check.  
  
Yixing's last minute kiss distracts him momentarily as the elder pulls out completely. He doesn't notice the emptiness until the harsh thrust that follows right after. The orgasm comes unexpectedly, and Yixing follows a moment after. Both pant, and Jongdae tries not to put all of his body weight onto Yixing's chest.  
  
The soft kiss to his forehead is welcomed, and Jongdae leans closer to Yixing's neck.  
  
"Too rough?" Yixing asks.  
  
"No, I loved it." Jongdae mumbles sleepily.  


 

  
_**Month 10:**  
Role Playing has never been better_

***

  
It’s the beginning of the tenth month when he decides to replace his invention with the candied version of gummy bears. He thinks it’ll take Yixing maybe two weeks to slowly show signs of normalcy. It’s still emotionally painful for him, at the idea of being just friends with him. There will be no more kisses or lasting hugs or even intertwined hands. Everything feels so depressing, and it doesn’t help that Yixing remains forever clueless of his internal conflict.  
  
A month has passed since he has stopped giving him the gummy bears, and the elder shows no signs of changing his attitude. So he thinks maybe a little truth will make his brain remember the past. He stares at Yixing with much adoration. He has been thinking of the right way to just confess, get it over with, and maybe Yixing won’t hate him forever. His unfaltering gaze startles Yixing, who looks up at the last second to check on the clock.  
  
“Hey, what are you staring for? Sit with me.” Yixing smiles at him warmly as he pats the chair next to him.  
  
“It’s fine. I have something to tell you.” Jongdae takes cautious steps towards the elder.  
  
“Yeah? Is it about breaking one of the newer glasses because I  _did_  find out,” he teases so easily.  
  
“It was an accident! But no, this is about something else.”  
  
Yixing raises his eyebrows and closes the book he’s been reading.  
  
“Alright, I’m listening.”  
  
“Remember how I introduced you to my experiment, and I explained to you what it does?”  
  
“Of course.”  
  
“I lied.” Jongdae licks his lips nervously. “It doesn’t enhance your memory.”  
  
“Oh.” Yixing doesn’t sound surprised by this new fact, but Jongdae’s observation skills were never that amazing.  
  
“The experiment was about you. I wanted you to always have memories of only me, and I guess along the way, it caused you to like me back. I wanted it so much. To have you stare at me like I was the only person in the room. I was too selfish and - “  
  
“Jongdae,” Yixing tries to interrupt, but Jongdae doesn’t let him.  
  
“You know the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. I guess I’ve always been insane for thinking you’ll look at me differently one day if I keep trying to catch your attention with my crazy experiments. And I’ve always known deep down inside that giving you the gummy bears was so wrong. All I ever wanted was some happiness, but instead, I took away your rights  _just_  so I’d be happy. I’m sorry. I just wanted to be yours for once.” Jongdae looks down at the floor as he feels sadness overwhelm his heart. He blinks back the tears and bites his lips to control the amount of emotions overflowing inside him.  
  
He doesn’t notice Yixing standing up to wipe away a tear or cupping his cheek. He only notices the soft press of his lips and the saltiness of his own tears as Yixing briefly kisses him and holds him closer. The elder doesn’t let go of him as his soft voice echo in his ear.  
  
“I already knew what the gummy bears were for. I guess I’m also insane for expecting you to notice  _why_  I’m always taking care of you, and  _why_  I’m always there whenever you need a test subject. When I found out that you created that experiment for me, you don’t know how relieved I was. After the first gummy bear, I wanted the experience to be real so I stopped taking the ones you gave and ate the candied version instead. I suppose I should have confessed, but I guess I was terrified that I may not be what you imagined. I kept falling harder for you and - “ He stops when Jongdae’s tears increase, and he feels the guilt slowly expanding in his heart. “I’m sorry,” he whispers as he wipes the tears from Jongdae’s eyes.  
  
“You’re such an asshole.” Jongdae punches weakly at Yixing’s chest before trying to escape from his embrace. He momentarily gives up when he realizes the elder has always been stronger than him.  
  
“I’ll make this up to you forever. Please don’t cry.”  
  
“I hate you,” he mumbles against him, and his energy slowly simmers down from the emotional wreck.  
  
“I know. I hate myself too.”  


 

  
_**Month 11:**  
*The first picture of Yixing and Jongdae together*  
♪ When I feel like giving up  
I climb inside your heart I still find  
You're my safest place to hide ♪_

***

**1 year later**

  
Yixing’s heart swells with pride as he watches his lover walk up to the stage to receive the award for new findings in neurology. After the wasted year on the love enhancer, Jongdae refocused the criteria to enhancing happy memories when sadness overwhelms a person. The research was all there since beginning, so they only had to find the right type of natural booster. It takes them quite a while, with Kyungsoo as the main test subject, but they manage to figure out all the flaws and submit the first official prototype. The product itself is still under heavy testing, but they’re still able to publicize their research to the public.  
  
His silly grin remains on his face until Jongdae’s final words during his speech. He walks closer to the steps of the stage and greets the younger with a plate of pineapples. Jongdae immediately laughs at his gesture but takes a single fruit into his mouth before muttering  _So sweet_  and taking the plate off the elder’s hands.  
  
“It was a great speech.”  
  
“Yeah? I’ll be sure to thank Xiumin for writing it.”  
  
Yixing shakes his head in disbelief as he follows Jongdae to their chairs. Jongdae instinctively leans closer to him despite the three inches of space between them, ignoring the sullen looks of Yixing’s lady admirers.  
  
“How many hours until this is done?” The younger mumbles, already feeling too tired to stick around.  
  
“One, I think.”  
  
“Good.” He places his head on the elder’s shoulder and closes his eyes, knowing someone will carry his fat ass home.  
  
  
  
When Jongdae wakes up, he’s laying down in their bed, and Yixing must have taken his clothes off since he only has boxers on. He wraps his arms around the elder and buries his face into the crook of his neck.  
  
“Thank you,” he murmurs as he sniffs the familiar aftershave.  
  
“Go back to sleep, love.”  
  
Jongdae only remembers the gentle rubbing on his lower back before sleep overwhelms him.  
  


 

***** epilogue*****

  
Jongdae curls his lips downward and sniffs in distaste as he watches a commoner touching his Yixing with the most carefree attitude. He resists the urge to clench his fist and instead heads for a mini table, designated for guests to place their food and drinks as they mingle. He immediately grabs a free drink from a smiling waitress and searches for his latest ingenious invention in his pocket. He clenches the small bottle in his palm and quickly looks around before he tilts the tiny bottle into the drink, swirling the glass as he watches the contents mix together. A twisted smile forms on his lips and unbeknownst to him, Xiumin notices his actions from afar and walks up to him.  
  
“Jongdae, don’t.”  
  
“Don’t what?” He asks innocently before he lifts the glass and heads towards Yixing. He grabs a second glass of wine from an unsuspecting waitress.  
  
“He’s not going to be happy when he finds out - “ Xiumin stops when Jongdae turns around to fix him with a glare.  
  
“And who’d tell him?” He challenges Xiumin to disobey the first rule he etched into his minions’ tiny brains:  _Tattling to Yixing is grounds for dismissal._  
  
“I just mean he’d figure it out eventually.” Xiumin’s voice sounds so small compared to Jongdae’s confident one. He gives him another lookover before walking again towards Yixing with both glasses of wine, ignoring Xiumin’s defeated sigh.  
  
“ - but you must have been such a heartbreaker in school. You look way too young to be thirty, “ the commoner gushes even more, causing Jongdae to inwardly hold his gag reflex and Yixing to give her another kind smile.  
  
“Oh Jongdae, meet Mrs. Smith. She’s one of the benefactors,” Yixing informs him as he stands closer to his side.  
  
“Then we should definitely have a toast for her contribution,” Jongdae smiles sweetly at her and hands her one of the glasses he was holding, the tainted one, of course. Then he hands the other glass to Yixing, who’s a little taken back by Jongdae’s sudden kindness.  
  
“How sweet of you,” she grabs the glass and raises it, gesturing for Yixing to follow her action. Jongdae signals for a waitress and manages to get another wine glass. They toast for the company’s success, and Jongdae smiles evilly behind his raised cup.  
  
Her husband arrives by her side after a few minutes, and Jongdae can definitely tell who’s the dominant one as he watches the husband cower when she scolds him for leaving her. She waves goodbye as he innocently smiles at her one last time.  
  
“You’ve been very naughty tonight,” Yixing whispers in his ear while a sneaky arm slides over his waist.  
  
“Have I?” He leans closer to the warmth, yearning for the comforting feeling whenever Yixing is hovering over him.  
  
Yixing doesn’t answer him but instead drags him away from the crowd, down the empty hallway, and into an empty gala room. He presses him against the closed door, heavy breaths against his neck. Nimble fingers lightly caress his sides, and Jongdae wishes Yixing would just rip his dress shirt off him.  
  
“What did you give to her, Jongdae?” he asks as his fingers trails over the button of his pants and another set of fingers crawls up his back. He shivers at the sensation and leans closer to the touch.  
  
“It was just wine.” Jongdae refuses to admit any wrong doings for as long as he can.  
  
Yixing seems adamant to get his answers as his fingers manage to find the zipper of Jongdae’s pants and slowly reaches for his cock. Jongdae groans at the new feeling and involuntarily thrusts his hips when he feels the hand wrap tightly around the tip. He has the urge to capture Yixing’s lips, which are hovering close to his cheek, but Yixing moves his face away as he slowly goes down. He kneels onto the floor and licks a protruding vein before engulfing the length slowly into his mouth. The loud groan and moans from Jongdae’s mouth motivates him to suck a little harder.  


 

***

  
“Has anyone seen our crazed boss?” Xiumin asks his seated friends and lover, all of which are too busy playing poker. They seem to be using Monopoly money as their bets and the occasional  _I owe you a favor without questions_  papers.  
  
“Probably fucking Yixing,” Baekhyun replies as he grabs Xiumin’s wrist and pulls him to sit in his lap.  
  
“I’m off home duty then.” Xiumin grins for the first time, relaxing at the thought of how he doesn’t have to drag a drunk Jongdae into a taxi.  
  
“Looks like it.” Kyungsoo gestures to the couple in front of them, where one is slightly limping and leaning against the taller. Jongdae seems to be pouting and frowning at the same time, while Yixing looks insufferably smug.  
  
“Why are you even pouting? You got laid by the guy of your dreams.” Kyungsoo glares at him as he feels extremely put off at the thought of his own single status.  
  
“I ruined his evil plan,” Yixing simply says, and the rest  _ahhh_  in understanding. Jongdae sits in an annoyed pose, and Yixing refuses to let him sulk alone as he stands close to him. It turns out that Yixing knew Jongdae would drug an unsuspecting guest at this party so he replaced the content of the small bottle with a placebo hours ago.  
  
“Should have experimented on Jonghyun instead. He’d appreciate my quirks,” he mutters to himself even though he knows the likelihood of Yixing hearing it. He doesn’t protest when he feels Yixing’s hand on his wrist and gets pulled away from the group. He sees himself being pushed into the same room they were in before and an angry glare in Yixing’s eyes.  
  
“Well, there goes round two for them,” Xiumin notes, and the rest hum in agreement.

**Author's Note:**

> Please disregard any wrong facts regarding bungee jumping, escape room or science.
> 
> The song lyrics are from:  
> At The Beginning from Anastasia (Disney movie)  
> Back At One by Brian McKnight  
> Safest Place To Hide by Backstreet Boys


End file.
